Red, itchy, watery eyes. Itchy mouth, throat and ears. Runny or blocked nose followed by lots of sneezing and even wheezing. Hay fever can ruin the spring and summer months for many, affecting 1 in 5 people in their lives. I myself suffer throughout the spring and early summer months, usually keeping the symptoms in check with a simple once a day antihistamine tablet. Although, on occasion the pollen count decides to play havoc with my senses and so the eye drops and nasal sprays are life savers.

Common advice can restrict your daily life

Advice we often hear is ‘stay inside as much as possible’, ‘keep all windows and doors closed whenever you can’, ‘don’t hang washing to dry outside’. Great ideas in theory, but the reality of them sounds pretty restrictive, especially for a summer lover like me.

So how can you beat the hay fever hell without becoming a recluse, and keeping a smile on your face?

• Start taking antihis-tamine tablets or medicine BEFORE the pollen count gets high. Modern antihistamines are often non-drowsy, so taking one each morning sets you up for the day, no matter what the weather, with a good dose of the drug already in your system.
• Wear sunglasses as much as possible. Most people don’t want to appear like a rock star with an ego, but keep-ing sunglasses on while outside, even on a cloudy day, will help stop the pollen reaching your eyes.
• Put Vaseline around your nostrils to trap pollen before it reaches the nose lining.
• Purchase an electric fan. If you particularly suffer in the evenings, buying a fan to keep you from getting stuffy means you can keep the windows closed while the pollen is dropping, as the temperatures cool in the evening.
• Practice self-hypnosis. A Swiss study back in 2005 showed hay fever sufferers reported fewer symptoms after they were taught hypnotherapy, and the evidence for this is increasing each year.
• On hot sunny days, go to the seaside or by a lake where pollen counts are lower, instead of parks and fields. 
• Have a quick shower before bed. Not only does this wash off pollen that will be stuck on your body, but it can also be refreshing on a hot summer’s day and aids sleep.

If your symptoms persist or are severe, seek medical advice, where you may be prescribed steroid treatments or immunotherapy.

Best of all, preparation is key, so my handbag essentials as a hay fever sufferer include: tissues; an inhaler (if you suffer with asthma as well or hay fever affects your chest); sun-glasses; nasal spray; eye drops; and a bottle of water.

Make the most of summer without the sniffles and streaming eyes.